Dynasty
by LiLover131
Summary: ONESHOT. It's not easy being royalty, even in a peaceful country like Clow Kingdom, but Syaoran and Sakura have learned to take it in strides and occasionally take a day to relax. When Syaoran sees that Sakura appears to be more exhausted than usual, he elects to drag her out on a fun filled adventure in the city! Requested by Anonymous user on Tumblr. :)


Lilover131: Hello everyone! I'm still working on the next chapter for Heart of Gold, but please enjoy this Tsubasa oneshot inspired by an anonymous ask I had on tumblr! They asked for me to write a oneshot about Sakura and Syaoran as royalty, so here is what I came up with! I hope you enjoy!

**Dynasty **

"Your majesty, with your permission, we took a sample from one of the blocks on the bird tower outside the city, and it appears to be made of the sedimentary material coquina"

Syaoran's eyebrows rose in interest at the discovery as he examined the sample resting on the table. He rolled up the sleeves of his emerald green royal robes as he leaned in to get a closer look, and he marveled at the piece of rock. The archaeologists that had come to present their new findings provided him a small handheld magnifying glass, which Syaoran held up to the surface.

"You're right…I never looked closely enough, but I can clearly see the fragments of shells. How fascinating!"

The archeologists beamed at their King's interest. Seeing as he was once an archeologist as well, it was rather easy to explain their work and obtain funding for further research. However, despite his love of history, Syaoran was still a man of reason and would not allow funding for just anything. He was fair and kind to all the subjects.

"We believe that the coastline was once much farther inland than previously anticipated. The use of coquina blocks imply that there was once an ocean nearby"

Syaoran listened as the archeologists explained and his amber eyes were lit with joy. He gazed to Sakura, his queen, who was seated on her throne and seemingly struggling to stay awake. Her head was only held up by her arm which was supported by the arm of the chair. Syaoran smiled, knowing it was rather early, and she had never been much of a morning person. When it came to matters of archaeology and science, she left such matters to him since he enjoyed it so much.

With that, business was wrapped up rather quickly and the archaeologists took their leave. Syaoran moved to the throne that his queen had fallen asleep in and knelt beside it. His fingers gently stroked her auburn colored strands, which seemed to stir her to life. Her emerald eyes sparkled in the early morning sunlight that peeked through the windows.

"Do you need to rest more, Sakura? You've been working hard to maintain your priestess duties, but no one will fault you for taking a break"

Sakura smiled warmly and shook her head before she sat up and stretched her arms.

"No, I'm fine. Though I do wonder how you manage to find so much energy yourself, Syaoran. How is it that you need so little sleep?"

Syaoran laughed lightheartedly before helping his queen rise to her feet.

"Your father and brother entrusted this kingdom to me, and I owe it to them to do my best for the people…and for you, of course"

Sakura's face turned rosy before she leaned in to place a kiss upon her husband's cheek, and the man's own cheeks changed color as if it were a contagion. Syaoran had never really been interested in the life of royalty before. When he returned seven days after the purification ceremony on Sakura's seventh birthday, he had lived with them a short while in the castle but soon elected to live on his own. He had claimed that life in the palace was not meant for him. However, as they grew older and Syaoran and Sakura desired to marry, things became a bit more complicated.

Sakura was still a princess no matter how one looked at it, and though it was possible for her to abdicate from the throne and live a normal life with Syaoran, he would not allow her to do so. The people of Clow needed their princess, and he wasn't going to stand in the way of the country's prosperity. Sakura had an important role of purifying the water within the ruins; the very life source of Clow Kingdom itself. Her position was vital for the survival of the country, so Syaoran instead pushed his feelings aside and allowed himself to be pulled into the life of royalty. Eventually, he found that he could do much more good with the powers he'd been given than before, and this ideal had significantly helped him adapt and appreciate his new life.

However, there were still plenty of things in his new situation he still rejected. For example, Syaoran refused to let anyone cook for him as he felt he was plenty capable of doing so on his own. He did not like to wear anything overly fancy and he did not require any bodyguards either. People were absolutely [i]not[/i] to bow in his presence, and gifts, except for apples, had a tendency to make him feel uncomfortable. The citizens of Clow were happy to oblige, as most of them had known him well before his status change, though it was difficult for some to adjust to his humble requests.

Sakura and Syaoran walked down the halls of the palace together hand in hand until they reached the balcony that overlooked the kingdom and the great winged ruins. The queen gripped the edges, leaning over slightly to feel the wind on her face.

"Can you believe that it's been five years since you came back home, Syaoran?"

Syaoran smiled warmly, stepping closer beside her in case she should suddenly fall.

"I travelled for a long time with Fai-san, Kurogane-san, and Mokona…I'm not sure how much time passed, since time flows differently in each world, but I missed you no matter how much fun I had or the amazing things I saw…"

The man took her hand into his and placed a light kiss atop it.

"…None of it compares to being with you. These past five years have been the happiest of my life"

Once again, Sakura's face turned bright red until there was the sound of someone's throat clearing behind them, and the two faced the source hot with embarrassment. Touya stood a few feet away, having witnessed the entire moment, and his arms were crossed in a most displeased manner.

"Watch yourself, kid. You may be married to my sister now, but you're still a brat to me…"

Syaoran frowned, but did not seem too affected by it. This was typical behavior from Touya. But Sakura, on the other hand, always reacted quite animatedly when it came to her brother's teasing.

"Grow up, Onii-chan! Now that Syaoran has taken over some of the duties, you can spend more time with Yukito. That's what you wanted, isn't it?"

It was Touya's turn for embarrassment, but he hid it quite a bit better than his sister. Only a slight blush formed as he averted his eyes, and he appeared more annoyed than anything.

"You've got it all wrong. I only gave him more duties so that he'd be too busy to spend time with you"

Sakura's face filled with rage and Syaoran backed away nervously. Very little ever got her angry, and she was quite fearsome when upset.

"Touya, you should be nicer to them. They've been working hard"

The group gazed to Yukito who was carrying a bundle of scrolls and had seen the entire exchange. Yukito was also a mediator of sorts, always there to stop the bickering between the royal siblings, no matter how harmless it was. He was once the High Priest but since stepped aside to allow Sakura, who was much stronger than him, to take control. Naturally, he was her advisor and would assist her with anything should she need it, but he was generally by Touya's side most of the time.

"I guess they're doing all right…for a couple of brats"

Touya grinned after his comment and Sakura stuck her tongue out at him in disdain. Syaoran and Yukito sighed, knowing full well that the two siblings would perhaps always be this way, but in reality they loved each other dearly. Yukito smiled at Syaoran, doing his best to ignore the arguments that continued beside them.

"What are your plans for the day, Syaoran-kun?"

The King smiled back and leaned in to whisper into his ear.

"I was thinking of going out into the town today with Sakura. I think she would appreciate a break. Would you be able to reschedule my meetings for today?"

Yukito nodded.

"A splendid idea. I will contact your appointments and reschedule for you"

Syaoran rested a hand on his shoulder, an expression of gratefulness on his face.

"Thank you. Please apologize to them for me as well. I promise to give them my full attention when we meet next"

"I am sure they will understand. Please enjoy the day as much as you can"

The King nodded before moving forward to take Sakura's hand into his own and pulled her away from the balcony, much to her surprise. She followed his lead without complaint, though she was rather confused by the sudden action.

"Syaoran, where are we going?"

He didn't say a word, but his face implied that there was fun to be had. Sakura didn't push any further and kept close to his side. Syaoran lead her through the halls and made his way through the palace and down to the bottom where some servants were waiting with their cloaks. These cloaks were rather plain looking, mostly meant for when they wished to enter a place incognito. Syaoran thanked the servants for their assistance before putting on his cloak, and Sakura followed suit, already smiling in excitement at the prospect of their day.

The two left on foot, making their way down the residential part of Clow, and it was bustling with activity. This was to be expected, seeing as the weather was beautiful. Although it was sunny on most days with them being in the desert, the temperature was on the more moderate side today and quite comfortable.

There were a couple glances in their direction as they passed, but Syaoran and Sakura kept their heads down until they reached their destination. They never had to worry about safety really in Clow since everyone was so kind, however they would undoubtedly be stopped and surrounded by crowds of admirers if they were spotted, and Syaoran seemed to be on a bit of a schedule.

Admittedly, it was a bit difficult for Syaoran that he couldn't simply move through the town like he used to. Before, he was an ordinary citizen, but now he was royalty, and as much as people tried to treat him the same as before, they simply had too much respect for their royals to do so.

Sakura followed him closely, smiling softly at the happiness she saw in their people. As usual, Clow was a very peaceful place, but it seemed to be growing even more prosperous every day, and this made her only want to work harder to protect their precious water supply with her magic.

Soon, there was a sweet smell in the air, and it seemed that Syaoran was drawing her closer to it with each step. Where was he taking her?

He smiled back at her before he stepped into what seemed to be a humble looking little café. Sakura had never seen this place before, but it seemed to be filled with people who had also been drawn by the delicious scent. A young man with spiky hair pulled back into a short ponytail greeted them before leading them to a table rather discreetly. It seemed Syaoran knew him from somewhere, and Sakura's curiosity grew even more until they were placed in the corner and able to safely pull down their hoods.

"Syaoran, who was that? And where are we?"

He smiled at her and reached across the wood table to take her hand.

"When Fai-san, Kurogane-san, Mokona, and came to the cut off time Fei Wong Reed had created, there was a young boy and his mother who sold apples in the market and allowed us to stay with them for the night. While we stayed with them, they made gave us delicious apple pah'yu to eat. However, because that day was on an endless cycle and repeating itself, we ran into the same situation every day, and every time, they allowed us to stay with them even though we were strangers. When I chose to break that time loop, people began to vanish, and it was very difficult for me to forgive myself, especially when the boy and mother began to disappear before my eyes…"

Sakura frowned and squeezed his hand.

"Syaoran…"

"…But when we returned after our battle with Fei Wong Reed and time and space was repaired, I was able to see them again. The boy was all grown up, and I wanted to do something for them, even if they didn't remember who I was. So I did everything I could to help them open this place and share their apple pah'yu with everyone. I really wanted you to taste one Sakura, since you love apples so much…"

Sakura smiled warmly when he finished his story.

"I'm really excited. It smells so good in here!"

Only moments later, two plates were brought to the table and placed before them with warm apple pah'yus, fresh from the stone oven. Syaoran and Sakura thanked them for the food before digging in, and the royals couldn't help but beam at the delicious taste.

"It's really delicious!"

Sakura made little sounds of approval as she ate, and as she finished the plate, there was a glow in her eyes.

"It's more than that though…there's a warmth to this dessert, and I don't mean because it was made in an oven. You can tell that it's made with love…"

Syaoran nodded in agreement.

"Yes…I noticed that too"

The two stayed there for a few minutes longer in casual conversation, glancing around at the lively atmosphere within the building. This was a place of happiness, like so many other places in Clow.

Suddenly, Syaoran stood from his seat and put his hood back up, gently pulling Sakura up to her feet. She blinked curiously and wondered what more he had planned for her. The two paid for their meal despite the several mentions that payment was not necessary and made their way back outside. They weaved through the streets until they came across a cluster of people, and the sound of music rang in their ears. Sakura recognized some of the instruments even without seeing them. There were drums, tambourines, and flutes, and the crowd was clapping along to the beat.

As they burrowed through and were able to see what all the commotion was about, they saw many people of all ages and backgrounds dancing. Sakura could see children dancing with their mothers and fathers, lovers, and even people dancing solo. It looked like so much fun, and before she could turn to Syaoran, he had already offered his hand to her.

"Would you like to dance?"

She instantly nodded and slipped her hand into his before being lead into the crowd. Sakura loved to dance, and although she knew Syaoran didn't enjoy it as much, he did his best to lead her in an energetic dance. Since they were both quite athletic, they were able to easily mimic what the other dancers were doing and Sakura couldn't help but giggle as she was twirled around effortlessly. Syaoran smiled down at her, always keeping her hand in his as they moved. Their passion was almost tangible, and they received a few glances from curious people who were fascinated by the mysterious dancers in cloaks.

The two became absorbed in their movements and each other until Sakura was gently dipped, and her hood naturally slipped off and exposed her face. The queen blushed up at her husband and only tore her eyes away from him when she heard the gasps from all around.

"It's the Queen!"

Someone shouted in surprise, and there was a loud chatter of excitement that only seemed to growing in volume. Syaoran quickly pulled her back up and against his chest as the people moved in closer, desperately wanting to interact with their rulers. He gazed around, looking for an exit, and upon seeing a small gap, he took the chance and tugged Sakura through the opening.

They barely managed to escape, but once they reached a clearing, the two bolted hand in hand. Syaoran's hood fell down as well as the wind hit his face, and when Sakura gave a sideways glance, she saw that he was grinning quite brilliantly. This in turn made her smile as well, and she laughed lightheartedly as they ran down the street.

The two ran until they could hardly move a step further, and their dash ended upon arrival at the bird watching tower. The sun was beginning to set, and it seemed that the archaeological excavation had ended for the day. Their tools were still right where they left them, and Sakura and Syaoran made their way up to the top after resting for a few minutes to breathe. The view of Clow Kingdom from this spot was truly mesmerizing, and as the two sat on the ledge facing the city, their fingers intertwined.

For several long minutes, no words were said. There was only admiration of the kingdom they so dearly loved, and it was Sakura that broke the silence.

"I really love this country…you reminded me today that everything we do is for the wonderful people we saw today. I want everyone to always be happy like this…"

Syaoran nodded in agreement, appearing to wholeheartedly agree with her statement.

"You seemed rather worn down lately, so I wanted you to have fun and forget about your duties for just a little bit. I remember Fai-san once told my other self that it is okay to laugh and have fun once in a while"

The queen felt nostalgic thinking about Fai. Although she hadn't travelled with him herself, she saw all of their journey and felt she knew him very well. Undoubtedly, Syaoran missed his fellow travelers very much after they parted ways. However, she knew that they would absolutely see each other again someday.

"Syaoran…can I ask you a question?"

Syaoran blinked, but nodded nonetheless.

"Of course"

"Why are you having the archeologists explore this tower? You seem even more fascinated by it than the ruins. Surely, the ruins are more interesting…"

The king smiled at her question, as if he had been waiting for her to ask for a long time.

"Because there is mystery surrounding this place. The birds always come here around the same time of day. Why is that, I wonder? Who built this place and why? I want to know these things…"

His hand squeezed hers before he continued.

"But also…this place is even more special than that. This is where your other self made 'Syaoran' smile for the first time…"

Sakura's face became tender at these words and she listened as he seemed to have more to say.

"…and it's also where you and I told each other our feelings. It may be the most important place in the whole world"

Her heart skipped a beat, and her cheeks were tinted red. Syaoran was sporting a nice red shade himself.

"Syaoran…"

She looked incredibly touched and gazed at the kingdom again.

"Well…can I add another special memory to this place?"

Syaoran tilted his head, not entirely sure what she was getting at. Suddenly, he felt her gently tug his hand and place it upon her stomach, and his eyes widened in instant realization.

"So…that's why you've been so tired?"

Sakura nodded and was beaming with happiness before her husband instinctively wrapped his arms around her.

"This place really is the most important place in the whole world…"

His voice was emotional as he spoke, and Sakura clung desperately to him, her whole body filling with warmth even as the sun lowered.

"I love you, Syaoran…"

He pulled back and cupped her face, smiling at her with excitement she'd never seen. Not even historical artifacts could make him this happy.

"I love you too, Sakura…"

Their faces were just inches apart, and just as they leaned in to press their lips together, the castle bells ran loudly enough to startle them out of their stupor. The both of them held their chests, as if their hearts might just leap out of their bodies, and they laughed in unison.

"I guess Onii-chan is telling us to come back now…"

Sakura pouted a bit, but Syaoran didn't seem too bothered.

"Let's go home and share the good news"

She nodded excitedly and slowly stood up to follow him. The bells didn't annoy her nearly as much anymore. Before, they used to mean that she needed to leave Syaoran's side, but now that they were married, they would go home together. They had been through so much pain and numerous times where fate separated them, but now that they were together again, they would not let anything tear them apart.

THE END


End file.
